Rumeen Farhana, the independent lawmaker from Brahmanbaria-2, did not cast her ballot in Thursday’s presidential election, calling the exercise “meaningless”.

Speaking to The Daily Star at her home in Shahbazpur village of Sarail upazila, Brahmanbaria, this evening, Rumeen said she had three reasons for abstaining from the vote.

“The presidential election seemed meaningless to me. If there is no uncertainty over the outcome, it cannot be called an election. Everyone already knows what the result will be. So, why should I call it a vote? This is a nomination, not an election,” she said.

Explaining her second reason, she said, “We have just gone through a major mass uprising that involved immense national sacrifice and carried so many hopes and aspirations. So why could we not collectively nominate a non-political and broadly acceptable person for the presidency?”

She said her third reason was the most important to her.

“Before the presidential election, BNP threatened us with Article 70 of the constitution. Yet since 2016, the party has strongly advocated its ‘Vision 2030’. Now it says that voting against the party’s decision would result in a lawmaker losing their seat. Why should I take part in such a farcical election?” she asked.